Pallens Parum Animus
by Darkness-Chill
Summary: When Harry is unexpectedly sent to a school he’s never heard of by his headmaster, he starts to learn that the species he and his kind discriminate against might not be as horrible as they’re made out to be.
1. Prologue

Hello, hello, hello.

Here's the deal. I know I have a lot of fics in progress. I know I'm not very good at updating all but two of these fics. But in my defense, all but two of these fics get no reviewers except Kelly. And occasionally a few other friends that I know in real life.

So, I'll start with this.

Full Summary: When Harry is unexpectedly sent to a school he's never heard of by his headmaster, he starts to learn that the species he and his kind discriminate against might not be as horrible as they're made out to be.

Warnings: OC fic. This fic has an ENTIRE school of original characters. Now, I know some of you are thinking, 'oh god, another horrible OC fic.' Well, I'd like you to just give me a chance. Read the prologue and the first chapter. If you still don't like my OCs, then hey- that's fine. Not everyone's going to like me or my writing. But I'll be happy you gave me the chance.

That being said, don't flame me because you don't like my OCs either. Just stop reading. There's no crime in that.

That all being said, I think I should start the fic now, so here's the prologue. I know it's short, but it's the easiest way to start the fanfic.

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_Dearest Dumbledore,_

_It is with my deepest regrets that I write you this letter. The being in question has lost contact with this school, and therefore, I cannot get in touch with him at this time. If I happen to hear from him, I will send you a message as soon as possible._

_I hope there is still something we at St. Dymphna can help you with. I am sorry we could not be of help this time._

_Sincerely, _

_Carina Haynes._

_-  
_

**Carina, you know you needn't be so formal with me. **

**-Albus**

**-  
**

_Albus, _

_You know I enjoy being formal. _

_Yours, Carina_

_-  
_

**Carina, honestly. –Albus**

**-  
**

_Albus,_

_I have no idea what you are talking about.  
_

_Carina_

_-  
_

**Carina, **

**I regret to inform you that I have a problem. Despite my formal speech, which is a ploy to make you see why I've tried to stop you, the subject of this letter is of much importance.**

**Hogwarts has been breached. It's no longer safe for me to keep a select student here. If he was to be found by a certain wizard, more than the wizarding world would have a problem.**

**It is thus that I request he transfer to your establishment for a single year. The experience will be good for him, regardless, and it will give myself and the staff at Hogwarts a chance to make the school a safe place for him once more. **

**Please consider it. **

**-Albus.**

**-  
**

_Of course we'll take him in. Just bring him here- a place will be ready for him to stay._

_-  
_

**Thank you, my dear. You may have just saved young Harry's life.**

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Before anyone even suggests it, NO. I will not pair up Carina and Dumbledore. I have no plans to, and wouldn't even if you tied me up and starved me.

Hope it was an okay beginning. Lemme know what you thouuuught!

(Before anyone says it, I don't like how I ended the chapter either.)


	2. Chapter 1

Harry often found himself wondering how he got himself into strange situations. He could usually attribute the fault to one of three people, which usually explained how it happened within itself.

1. Dumbledore.

2. Ron.

3. Snape.

But this time, he had no idea how he'd gotten into this situation. Sure, Dumbledore had been the one to apparate to this weird doorway with him, vanishing just as quickly as he'd come with Harry. And he didn't doubt that this was Ron's fault in some roundabout way.

But Harry had trouble placing actual blame before he could even figure out WHERE he was. The door he was standing in front of was tall and a dark mahogany, and had ivy growing up it. He was studying it closer, hoping for some hint of where he could be, when it suddenly swung open. He jumped back to avoid getting smacked in the face, and fell backwards onto the ground.

The woman who had walked out raised an eyebrow, "Harry?" she guessed.

Harry nodded a little and stood up, brushing his pants off, "Uh, yes ma'am."

"I'm Carina Haynes." She said, "Come in, quickly." She ushered him through the doorway and shut it behind him. Harry was surprised to find himself in what looked like a courtyard behind the door, when before he'd walked in, there was just more grass there. The courtyard had three buildings around it, one just a tad bit larger than the others. "Welcome to St. Dymphna's Academy for Vulnerable Children." Carina spoke with a light British accent. Her hair was dark red, almost brown, and fell to her mid back, accented by her long, maroon robes.

"St. Dymphna's Academy… for Vulnerable Children?" Harry asked, quite confused. Carina simply smiled at him.

"I see Dumbledore elected to leave the explanations for why you are here to me. Very well, then." Carina led him towards the largest of the three buildings, "I'll explain in my office." She glanced back to see Harry was falling behind, distracted by the buildings, "Keep up, Harry!"

Harry quickly rushed forward to catch up to her.

She lead him down a carpeted hall of what looked like it could have been a renovated cathedral of sorts, and into a large office with a door off of it that most likely lead to a living quarters. She gestured for Harry to sit down in one of the chairs and sat down in one herself, "I'm sorry I can't offer you a drink, but my coffee machine's been broken since Kevin decided it would be funny to enter the room unconventionally and dragged his shadow-form straight through it." She sighed, obviously not as angry as she'd tried to make herself sound.

Harry just sat there awkwardly, not quite sure what Carina Haynes wanted with him, nor what she was talking about, as a 'shadow-form' was something he'd never heard of.

"Oh, I suppose I should get right to the explanation, then- I'm sure you're hungry." Carina spoke again, looking at Harry this time, whose stomach growled as if in answer. Carina smiled, and then began to explain, "You see, this is a school for those children who are not wizards, but are not quite normal either. We also teach a few wizards, along with a couple of werewolves."

"But what am I doing here?" Harry asked, "And what do you mean by 'not quite normal'? Squibs?"

Carina shook her head, "No, no, you don't understand. This school takes in that which considered odd by both wizards and humans alike."

Harry still didn't quite understand, but he nodded. "So why am I here?"

"Dumbledore felt that you'd be safest here for a little while." She explained, "And that it would be a good experience for you to learn alongside a few different people."

"What was wrong with Hogwarts? I thought that it was the safest place for me." Harry frowned.

"Usually." Carina nodded, "But at the moment, no. Now, you can ask questions later- you should go and put your stuff down in your dorm and get yourself some food." Carina led Harry to the door, only to notice a blonde girl passing by. "Rhetta." Carina called her.

The girl lazily turned, raising an eyebrow, "Mmm?"

"Take Harry to the wizards' rooms, will you?" Carina asked.

"Why?" Rhetta asked, in a clear southern United States accent. "Can't he get there himself?"

"Because you're still on probation." Carina spoke calmly, "And Harry just got here. Take him to the dining hall afterwards."

"Y'can call it a cafeteria, y'know." Rhetta rolled her eyes, "Come on, kid." She said to Harry, walking down the hall again.

"Don't worry- Rhetta just acts tough." Carina smiled at him, before going back in her office. Harry hurried to catch up to Rhetta- the second time he'd had to catch up to a girl in one hour.

"So what's your story?" Rhetta asked, looking him over. She looked a couple of years older than Harry himself, who was 15. "Don't most wizards go to that Hogwarty place? Or one of them other wizard schools?"

"I was going to Hogwarts until… today." Harry said, "I'm not even sure what's going on, other than my headmaster thought I'd be safer here or something."

Rhetta raised an eyebrow, "Safer here? With the werewolves and the incubi?" she laughed.

Harry blinked.

"It's a joke." Rhetta rolled her eyes, "They're actually quite tame, just don't piss 'em off." She said, "So, you're called Harry, then?"

"Y-yeah." Harry nodded, still getting over the werewolves and incubi 'joke'.

"Name's Rhetta." Rhetta said, "Rhetta Reilly."

"Stay out of her way when she's got her period- she turns into an angry kneazle." A male voice whispered in Harry's ear, making him jump- no one had been there a second ago. Now there was a tall, black haired man with startling red eyes standing there, smirking.

Rhetta rolled her eyes, "Daryll, I thought you had detention."

"I did." Daryll winked, "I slipped away to see you."

"Ugh, get out of my breathin' space." Rhetta pushed him out of the way, "Ignore him, Harry, he's just an idiot."

Harry stopped trying to understand things and followed Rhetta to a door, "This is the wizards' rooms." She opened it and led him in, "GIRL COMIN' IN- GET SOME CLOTHES ON." She shouted.

Harry looked around. He was standing in a large room with a couple of doors off of it- three in total. The room had a few chairs and cushions in it, along with a couple of desks- most likely a common room. Rhetta lead Harry to a door without a name plaque on it, "This room's yours." she said, opening it up. Harry put his stuff down in the room.

"Good, well, now I just gotta drop you off at the cafeteria and then I can be on my merry way." Rhetta said.

"Yeah, because toting a wizard around is such a big trouble to you." A voice said from the common room. Rhetta walked out, shrugging.

"Harry, this is Laurence. He's a wizard. Laurence, this is-"

Laurence cut Rhetta off, "I know who he is." He grinned, "You're Harry Potter!"

Harry looked a little embarrassed and nodded, "Uh, yeah."

"Great to meet ya, mate." Laurence grinned, "But what are you doing here?"

"He's got no idea." Rhetta said, "His headmaster thought it'd be safer or something. I'm supposed to take him to the cafeteria."

"Well, I'll come with, then! Caden should be there- you can meet him. He's the other wizard here. There are two witches- twins- as well." Laurence said, steering Harry towards the door.

"If there are only 5 wizards here, what about the rest of the students?" Harry asked Laurence and Rhetta.

"We're other things." Rhetta said, "I'm a sorceress. We've got shapeshifters, incubi, you met Daryll already, he's one of 'em, a couple'a werewolves, though they're out at the moment, and a buncha presights."

Harry just looked confused.

Rhetta chuckled, "Come on, kid, we'll explain in the café- you look like you're about to drop."

She and Laurence steered the wizard out the door.

"And welcome to St. Hardtospell's Academy for Everyone Else." Rhetta added as they walked towards the dining hall.

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These chapters take a lot longer to write than I expected. Anyway, I promise that all of those creatures that you haven't seen in Harry Potter have explanations for being here, which Rhetta and Laurence'll explain next chapter. I love writing Rhetta- she's so much fun. There are only about 50 students in St. Dymphna's- the school mostly takes in orphans and abandoned children.

It was also almost called St. Dymphna's Academy for Doorstep Babies etc. Courtesy of Kelly. I still don't like the name much, so if anyone can come up with something that isn't "St. Dymphna's Academy for Perpetually Misinformed Adoptees," please let me know. Thanks!

Also, Harry feels out of character to me. Then again, he is being overwhelmed with information.

Hope you liked it. Review? Five reviews and I update within a week- it's a policy. Chapters don't usually come this fast, just first and second ones. Now I go to a normal pace.


	3. Chapter 2

Harry was still feeling overwhelmed as he walked (or was pushed, actually) into the cafeteria. It was a small room with maybe 50 seats around several small tables. There was a kitchen to the right, where Rhetta proceeded to drag Harry, Laurence following behind.

"Yo, Dan!" Rhetta called into the kitchen. A black haired man jumped up, surprised.

"Gah! Rhetta!" Dan snapped. Rhetta just smiled.

"I'm showing our newbie around. Can y'get him some food?" Rhetta asked.

Dan rolled his eyes, "Yeah, sure." He turned to Harry, "What do you want?"

"Er… anything's fine." Harry said.

Dan nodded and started cooking. Rhetta turned to Laurence. "Is Caden here?"

"Umm…" Laurence looked around the room, "Yep! Caden!"

Caden, a small brown haired boy, looked up, then hurried over, "Hey, Laurence." He said.

"I want you to meet someone." Laurence said, gesturing to Harry.

Caden turned, "Hi. I'm Caden Smith." He said, hesitant. The young wizard was obviously shy.

"Harry." Harry said, not really wanting to drop his last name on an already shy wizard.

Caden shook Harry's hand.

"Not just any Harry!" Laurence ruined Harry's plan, "Harry Potter!" he grinned.

Caden flinched, and Harry frowned.

"Here you go, kid." Dan handed food to Harry.

"Thanks." Harry took is, hesitating somewhat.

"Rhetta? Laurence?" Dan asked them, "Take the food." Laurence immediately did so, but Rhetta just smiled.

"I already ate." She said, "But thanks."

Dan frowned.

"Come on, Harry, let's go sit down." Rhetta lead Harry towards a table on the other side of the room. The four sat down. Laurence and Harry began eating, while Rhetta chatted idly with Caden.

"So, are you taking wizard classes?" Laurence asked Harry, who shrugged.

"I don't know, actually… a lot's been happening." Harry admitted.

"Professor Carina being vague?" Rhetta guessed.

Harry nodded.

Rhetta sighed, "That's just what she does. You'll probably get your schedule in the morning."

"Can I send an owl to my friends? I don't even know if Hedwig got here." Harry frowned.

"Most likely if Hedwig's an owl, she's in the back courtyard. I'll bring you there once you're done eating and we can check." Rhetta said.

Harry nodded again. Once he'd finished eating, the two bid their goodbyes to the other two wizards and headed into the back courtyard.

"So, Harry. Tell me something about yourself." Rhetta said as they walked, "Parents approve of you being at the school for the not-wanted?"

Harry frowned, "My parents are dead."

Rhetta didn't seem fazed, "Hmm, mine too."

Harry looked up at her, surprised, but she offered no explanation beyond, "This isn't just a school, Harry, it doubles as an orphanage. You'll be hard-pressed t'find someone with living parents that isn't a wizard."

Harry wanted to question her more, but Rhetta pushed open the doors to a shed in the back. Inside was a miniature owlery, Harry found as he followed her in, and inside, sitting on a high rafter, was his snowy owl, Hedwig.

The owl swooped down as Harry called her name, and landed on his arm, nipping him affectionately.

"See, I told you she'd be here." Rhetta smiled.

Harry grabbed the pen and papetr that the kids left in the shed in case they wanted to send a note somewhere and scribbled something down, tying it to Hedwig's leg, "Take this to Ron and Hermione, okay?"

Hedwig took off, flying away.

Harry turned to Rhetta, "Thanks."

"No problem. Come on, you look tired. Classes tomorrow."

Harry sighed, "Yay…"

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When Rhetta dropped Harry off at the wizard's dorm, he found Caden sitting in the common area, reading something. Attempting to be friendly, Harry spoke, "Hey, Caden."

Caden looked up, surprised, "O-oh. Hey, Hary."

Harry frowned.

"You can sit if you want…" Caden hesitated.

"It's alright. Thanks, though. I'm tired." Harry said.

Caden nodded, "Okay."

"See you in the morning." Harry walked into his room. As he lay on the bed, looking at the ceiling, he had to wonder how he always managed to get himself into these strange situations.

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"Hey, Hedwig!" Ron shouted, surprised. He and Hermione had been walking through one of the courtyards when the owl landed, holding out her leg.

Hermione unstrapped the attached note and gave the owl a treat before unfolding and reading it.

_Hey Ron, Hermione._

_Dumbledore dropped me off at some weird school I've never heard of, and apparently I'm spending the whole year here._

_I don't have much time, a sorceress (yes, a sorceress) brought me out here. Do me a favor and keep this all quiet. I'll write soon. _

_Harry_

Hermione frowned and looked at Ron, "A school with a sorceress?"

Ron blinked, "I thought they all died out."

Hermione sighed, "Honestly, Ronald…" she began to explain, "Sorcerers and Sorceresses went into hiding, sure, but I've never heard of them not home-schooling their children. Why would one be at a wizard school?"

"Maybe it's not a wizard school?" Ron asked.

"Why would Dumbledore send Harry anywhere else?" Hermione asked him, receiving only a shrug in response.

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Er… short, but that's because the next day needs to start in the next chapter. So…. This is what you get.

Reviewwww?

Also, this finishes my goal for September. YAY.


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